POSTERS designed by local schoolchildren will be used to promote this year's Horwich Carnival.

The Mayor of Horwich, Cllr John Bragg, presented prizes to the talented winners and runners up of a poster competition organised by the carnival committee.

Now the winning entries will be seen all over the town in the run-up to the event on Saturday and Sunday May 25 and 26.

The winners and runners up of the five to eight years section were Cara Bridge and Kirstie Taylor and in the nine to 11 section Simone Litvaitis and Manisha Patel all of Chorley New Road CP School.

But one of the commended entries by Gemma Elcoat caught the eye of carnival chairman Cllr Mrs Barbara Ronson, because for along with the picture of a clown, there was a reference to first aid on the poster.

Cllr Mrs Ronson was so intrigued she contacted St John Ambulance and discovered that the young artist turned out to be a St John Ambulance cadet. Cllr Mrs Ronson said: "We hope to give some prominence to Gemma's design because it points to the serious aspects and the service behind the fun."

Plans are well underway for the carnival at Old Station Park but the organisers are still appealing for sponsorship. Although some sponsorship has already been promised by local businesses more is needed to help stage the event.

The committee are also hoping that the local community will turn out once again to make this year's carnival a huge success and at the same time support the carnival charity which is to provide shop mobility in the town for disabled people.

There will be no charge for admission to the park but there will be programmes on sale in aid of the carnival charity. The weekend fun kicks off at 12.30pm on the Saturday with the parade. Further information is available by telephoning the following numbers: parade and sponsors 695742, Stalls 692930, field 695484, queens 668283, programme 696572.

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